Officer Report

Application No.: 16/00378/B Applicant: Hollowell Ltd Proposal: Alterations, creation of additional windows and addition of mezzanine floor to industrial unit, along with change of use to storage and workshop Site Address: Unit 17 Balthane Industrial Estate Balthane Ballasalla Isle of Man IM9 2AX Case Officer : Mr Edmond Riley Photo Taken: 18.05.2016 Site Visit: 18.05.2016 Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation

Officer’s Report

1.0 THE APPLICATION SITE AND PLANNING HISTORY - 1.1 Full planning approval was sought under PA 12/00062/B for the erection of 20 industrial units (including storage and distribution) along with associated access, parking and drainage infrastructure on the northern edge of the Balthane Industrial Estate in Ballasalla. These were shown arrange in one building of five units facing a double-fronted unit with ten, onto which would face a second building of five units. Of these, only the southwesternmost of the buildings has been started, let alone completed. None appears to be occupied. - 1.2 The application site is Unit 17, which is the southeasternmost of those five already completed. The hardstanding and parking areas are complete.

2.0 THE PROPOSAL - 2.1 Full planning approval was originally sought for: "Alterations, creation of additional windows and addition of mezzanine floor to industrial unit to create a family office with archive and storage areas". As this was considered to be rather vague, further clarification from the applicant / agent was sought in respect of the actual uses intended, which has proved difficult as the applicant himself appears unclear as to what he actually wishes to use the building for. However, an amended description was eventually settled on, as follows:

"Alterations, creation of additional windows and addition of mezzanine floor to industrial unit, along with change of use to storage and workshop"

The application was duly re-advertised.

2.2 The applicant is essentially in a position where he has insufficient storage space at home to accommodate all the things he owns and also the hobbies he has. The overall intention is for the unit to be used as storage space.

2.3 In addition to the change of the use of the unit, also proposed are new, and proportionally large, windows in the front, side and rear elevations. A number are proposed across these elevations in order to (presumably) provide light to the also-proposed mezzanine floor.

3.0 THE DEVELOPMENT PLAN - 3.1 The site falls within a much larger area zoned as Industrial on the Area Plan for the South. No Brief for the area is within the Plan; continual reference is made to the 'employment' use of the Estate, however. It is worth bearing in mind the following extract from the Plan:

"The Balthane Industrial Estate is located just south of Ballasalla Village. The Estate is used by a mix of businesses but incremental development, poor maintenance of buildings, roads and footways, has over the years, resulted in the Estate appearing neglected and unattractive in many parts giving

• a poor impression to the public, customers and businesses alike. It is recognised that the Estate is home to some uses which are essential to support the Island and also that there is scope for the general appearance and access to the Estate to be improved. There is considerable land available at Balthane which was first identified on the 1982 Development Order. It has been deemed appropriate to carry forward this designation into the Area Plan but there is a need to secure improvement works on the Estate."

3.2 While the proposal is not necessarily wholly compatible with the land use designation, which is probably geared more towards general industry, the provisions of General Policy 2 of the Strategic Plan remain the most relevant in respect of this application, in particular the following:

"Development which is in accordance with the land use zoning and proposals in the appropriate Area Plan and with other policies of this Strategic Plan will normally be permitted, provided that the development:

• b) respects the site and surroundings in terms of the siting, layout, scale, form, design and landscaping of buildings and the space around them;
• c) does not affect adversely the character of the surrounding landscape or townscape;

• g) does not affect adversely the amenity of local residents or the character of the locality;
• h) provides satisfactory amenity standards in itself, including where appropriate safe and convenient access for all highway users, together with adequate parking, servicing and manoeuvring space;
• i) does not have an adverse effect on road safety or traffic flows on the local highways; k) does not prejudice the use or development of adjoining land in accordance with the appropriate Area Plan."

4.0 REPRESENTATIONS - 4.1 Highway Services of the DoI identified that the proposal had no highway implications on 18.04.2016, while Malew Commissioners after initially seeking a deferral (20/04/16) subsequently offered no objection (05.05.16).

5.0 ASSESSMENT - 5.1 The proposal seeks approval for what might normally be considered a residential use on an industrial estate. However, in view of the large size of the unit, it is clearly the case that the applicant has a significant amount of storage need, and a proposal to provide that need at his current residential address might be difficult to satisfactorily achieve, having regard to the amount of space evidently required. With that in mind, the next best place for such a use would generally be considered an industrial estate and, in view of the apparent lack of interest in units of this kind for industrial use at present, to withhold approval on the grounds of the loss of an industrial unit would be unreasonable. It is also true that the use proposed is by no means 'non-industrial' as it is in many ways not dissimilar to general storage uses - the fact it is unrelated to a business per se is

• therefore not of significant concern in this instance - having regard to the otherwise empty units here and the large amount of storage required by the applicant.
• 5.2 The physical changes proposed are actually quite significant in scale, with the new windows resulting in quite a dominant change to the appearance of the building. However, the buildings while fairly archetypal of industrial units, and in good condition - are not especially attractive and nor is their form such that alterations are unacceptable. Indeed, those proposed - even though significant in scale - are considered to present an interesting and potentially welcome breaking up of the otherwise fairly austere frontage presented by the units at present. In view of the surrounding uses being industrial as well, concerns regarding privacy in terms of both the application site and the land surrounding are not considered reasons on which to raise an objection.

6.0 RECOMMENDATION - 6.1 In view of the above and being mindful of the wording of General Policy 2, it is considered that the proposal represents an acceptable departure (such as it is) from the zoning shown on the Area Plan for the South and, accordingly, it is recommended the application be approved.

7.0 INTERESTED PERSON STATUS - 7.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No 2) Order 2013, the following persons are automatically interested persons:

• o The applicant, or if there is one, the applicant's agent;
• o The owner and the occupier of any land that is the subject of the application or any other person in whose interest the land becomes vested;
• o Any Government Department that has made written submissions relating to planning considerations with respect to the application that the Department considers material, which in this case includes Highways Services of the Department of Infrastructure, and
• o The local authority in whose district the land the subject of the application is situated.

Recommendation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 13.07.2016 Conditions and Notes for Approval: C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions C 1. The development hereby approved shall be begun before the expiration of four years from the date of this decision notice.

Reason: To comply with article 14 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No2) Order 2013 and to avoid the accumulation of unimplemented planning approvals.

The development hereby approved relates to Drawings 16/ 009/ 01 and 16/ 009/ 02, both datestamped as having been received 31st March 2016.

I can confirm that this decision has been made by a Senior Planning Officer in accordance with the authority afforded to that Officer by the appropriate DEFA Delegation.

Decision Made : Permitted Date: 14.07.2016 Determining officer

Signed : S CORLETT Sarah Corlett Senior Planning Officer

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